Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Rugby Cost of Living Comparison Between Owen Sound and Rugby

Monthly Cost of Living

Monthly costs for one person with rent: $2,080 in Owen Sound versus $2,344 in Rugby.

Estimated couple costs with rent: $3,239 in Owen Sound versus $3,491 in Rugby.

Monthly costs for a family of three with rent: $4,397 in Owen Sound versus $4,637 in Rugby.

Living in Owen Sound costs roughly 11% less than in Rugby, driven mainly by Groceries & Markets.

Both cities are pricier than the global median: Owen Sound 51% above, Rugby 71% above.

Meal at Budget Restaurant

$14.32 CA$19.75

$20.60 £15.22

-30.49%

Three-Course Dinner for Two, Mid-Range

$49.43 CA$68.2

$81.1 £60.0

-39.07%

Fast Food Meal (McDonalds, etc)

$9.44 CA$13.02

$9.55 £7.06

-1.15%

Cappuccino

$3.66 CA$5.04

$5.01 £3.71

-26.95%

Coke/Pepsi/Fanta/Sprite (0.33 liter bottle)

$2.02 CA$2.78

$2.09 £1.54

-3.35%

Water (0.33 liter bottle)

$1.67 CA$2.30

$1.56 £1.16

7.05%

Local Beer (0.5 liter draught)

$4.31 CA$5.94

$6.15 £4.55

-29.92%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.93 CA$8.18

$6.32 £4.68

-6.17%

Milk (1 liter)

$2.59 CA$3.57

$1.76 £1.30

47.16%

White Bread (500g)

$2.93 CA$4.04

$1.79 £1.32

63.69%

Rice (white) (1kg)

$3.40 CA$4.69

$2.54 £1.88

33.86%

Eggs

$4.51 CA$6.22

$3.91 £2.89

15.35%

Local Cheese (1kg)

$9.24 CA$12.74

$11.67 £8.63

-20.82%

Chicken Fillets (1kg)

$16.33 CA$22.52

$8.21 £6.07

98.90%

Beef Round Steak (1kg)

$23.87 CA$32.92

$15.61 £11.54

52.91%

Apples (1kg)

$7.41 CA$10.22

$2.55 £1.88

190.59%

Banana (1kg)

$1.88 CA$2.60

$1.83 £1.35

2.73%

Oranges (1kg)

$3.59 CA$4.95

$2.52 £1.86

42.46%

Tomato (1kg)

$2.94 CA$4.05

$3.14 £2.32

-6.37%

Potato (1kg)

$2.60 CA$3.59

$1.70 £1.26

52.94%

Onion (1kg)

$3.32 CA$4.57

$1.79 £1.33

85.47%

Lettuce (1 head)

$2.18 CA$3.01

$1.21 £0.89

80.17%

Water (1.5 liter bottle)

$1.34 CA$1.85

$1.60 £1.18

-16.25%

Cigarettes 20 Pack (Marlboro, Camel)

$13.71 CA$18.91

$22.55 £16.67

-39.20%

Wine (Bottle)

$16.74 CA$23.08

$12.39 £9.16

35.11%

Local Beer (0.5 liter bottle)

$4.46 CA$6.15

$3.66 £2.70

21.86%

Imported Beer (0.33 liter bottle)

$5.02 CA$6.92

$3.44 £2.55

45.93%

One-way Ticket (Public Transport)

$2.21 CA$3.04

$2.66 £1.97

-16.92%

Public Transport Monthly Pass (Regular Price)

$61.3 CA$84.6

Taxi Start (Normal Tariff)

$4.78 CA$6.59

$4.50 £3.33

6.22%

Taxi (Normal Tariff) (1km)

$1.89 £1.40

Taxi 1hour Waiting (Normal Tariff)

$25.19 CA$34.73

$24.82 £18.35

1.49%

Gasoline (1 liter)

$1.06 CA$1.46

$1.97 £1.46

-46.19%

Midsize Hatchback 1.4l (Volkswagen Golf, Toyota Prius, Honda Civic, etc)

$27.8K CA$38.3K

$39.4K £29.1K

-29.36%

Compact Sedan 1.6l (Toyota Corolla, Mazda3, Kia K4, Hyundai Elantra, etc)

$19.5K CA$26.9K

$41.0K £30.3K

-52.44%

Utilities for 2 People in 2-bedroom Apartment (Heating, Electricity, Gas, Water, Garbage) (85m2)

$99.7 CA$137

$270 £200

-63.09%

SIM Card Monthly Plan (Calls and 10GB+ Data)

$29.92 CA$41.26

$20.59 £15.22

45.31%

Internet (50+ Mbps, Unlimited Data)

$50.6 CA$69.7

$48.03 £35.50

5.25%

Gym Membership (Monthly)

$117 CA$162

$58.7 £43.38

99.78%

Tennis Court (1 Hour on Weekend)

$40.84 CA$56.3

Cinema Ticket

$7.87 CA$10.85

$14.77 £10.92

-46.72%

Preschool or Kindergarten, Full Day, Private, 1 Child (Monthly)

$474 CA$654

$1,622 £1,199

-70.76%

International Primary School, 1 Child (Yearly)

$7,168 CA$9,885

$15.5K £11.5K

-53.89%

Jeans (Levis 501 Or Similar)

$35.74 CA$49.29

$107 £79.3

-66.68%

Summer Dress (H&M, Zara, etc)

$27.29 CA$37.64

$38.05 £28.13

-28.28%

Sport Shoes (Adidas, Nike)

$88.4 CA$122

$119 £87.8

-25.58%

Men's Leather Business Shoes

$110 CA$152

$114 £84.3

-3.46%

1-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$1,369 CA$1,888

$1,159 £857

18.15%

1-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$909 CA$1,254

$1,056 £781

-13.93%

3-bedroom Apartment, City Center (Monthly)

$2,221 CA$3,062

$1,819 £1,344

22.09%

3-bedroom Apartment, Outside City Center (Monthly)

$1,621 CA$2,236

$1,882 £1,391

-13.84%

Buy Apartment in City Center (m2)

$5,066 £3,745

Buy Apartment Outside City Center (m2)

$4,346 £3,212

Average Monthly Net Salary (After Tax)

$3,007 CA$4,147

$4,234 £3,130

-28.99%

20-Year Fixed Mortgage Interest Rate (Annual %)

5.39

5.09

5.89%

CityCost data is based on AI and user input – minor inaccuracies may occur.

Last update for Owen Sound: August 29, 2026

Last update for Rugby: August 31, 2026

Cost Breakdown

A one-bedroom apartment in the center runs $1,369 in Owen Sound and $1,159 in Rugby. Housing cost is often the main lever when comparing two cities.

Rugby pays 41% more on average. The extra income cushions the higher costs, though housing choices and lifestyle decide how much of the gap is truly closed.

Dining out: $49.00 in Owen Sound vs $81.0 in Rugby. Groceries flip the comparison at $450 vs $316, with Rugby cheaper for home cooking.

City Median Internet Speeds Comparison (Updated April 2026)

The chart highlights the Precision Threshold for mobile and fixed broadband internet speeds, updated quarterly.

Digital Nomad Cost of Living Index

Owen Sound vs Rugby: Cost of Living - Frequently Asked Questions

Owen Sound is cheaper overall, especially in Eating Out, Clothing & Footwear. The 13% gap adds up to real monthly savings that compound significantly over time.

On paper, salaries run 41% lower in Rugby. That's worth factoring in alongside costs, though remote workers earning in a stronger currency may not notice the difference at all.

Rent for a central apartment: $1,369 in Owen Sound versus $1,159 in Rugby. Housing is usually the single largest factor when comparing overall living costs between the two.

Shoppers in Rugby pay roughly 42% less for everyday groceries. It's an unusual reversal that partly offsets higher costs elsewhere.

All in, you'll spend $2,080 per month in Owen Sound versus $2,344 in Rugby – a 13% gap that adds up to real savings over time for anyone picking the cheaper option.

At $2,080 in Owen Sound versus $2,344 in Rugby, a $2,500 budget is realistic in Owen Sound but tight or insufficient in Rugby. The gap between the two cities makes Owen Sound the clear choice for anyone on this budget.

Both cities offer a good standard of living with different trade-offs. Neither is objectively better – the right pick depends on what matters most: affordability, career, cultural scene, or climate.

Safety-wise, Owen Sound and Rugby are on par. Petty crime is typical for cities this size, and most residents feel comfortable going about their daily routines in either place.

Expats usually find Owen Sound gentler on the wallet – expenses run 13% less than in Rugby. Beyond cost, consider language, visa policies, and how big the international community is in each city.